Bones and the OC
by The Wolf's Shadow
Summary: McCoy is trying his best to enjoy shore leave when he comes across yet another person to babysi- care for. Things just get worse from there. Caretaker!Bones. Please R&R.
1. Curiositys

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Trek franchise or the characters in it.**

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><p>One cheery stall after another, McCoy browsed through the market, happy to be standing on honest to goodness ground. Cooped up in sickbay, his only relief being visits to the bridge and the occasional away mission, he had been longing for some fresh and non-recycled air. So maybe the breather in this city wasn't <em>fresh<em> per say; he would take it.

You learned to take whatever you could get in the first few months of service on a starship, and McCoy was reaching his next year mark. So he had snapped up this shore leave as _his_ and threatened to dismember anyone who disturbed him while he enjoyed it.

McCoy had spent the first half of _his_ day setting up his room and napping. (All threats had been taken care of yesterday.) Once he had rested he decided to take a look at the city, bustling metropolis that it was, and so found himself scrutinizing the wares of yet another stall.

He mentally compared the price of the old-style ceramic starship model to one he had seen two stall ago. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. It didn't really matter anyway; Jim would love it. He gave the vendor a grimace and the required credits then took the wrapped gift absentmindedly, already mapping out the next stalls he would visit; he still had to get gifts for Christine and Spock.

For more stalls and a necklace later McCoy was torn between just getting the Vulcan some random trinket or giving the whole think up. None of them really needed anything anyway. Nonetheless, he felt he _should_ get them something for abandoning them all this shore leave. So he grudgingly continued to look for something that might interest his less than cheerful friend.

Spotting something, the doctor pointed to the object that had caught his eye and asked vendor of it's cost. "This object is very rare these days, very hard to come by. But I can give it to you for the generous price of twenty credits."

McCoy narrowed his eyes and made a jerky hand motion toward the object. "You're kidding, right? I saw one in even better condition over there," he jerked a thumb behind him in the direction he had come. "What do ya think I am, stupid? Ya know what, forget it. I'll just get the other one." McCoy turned on his heel and started in a brisk walk toward a random stall.

"Hey mister!" McCoy quickly masked his grin and turned back to the vendor. "What?" he asked innocently. "Come back. I'll give it to you for seventeen credits. No more, no less." McCoy waved his hand at the vendor and turned back towards the other stall. "Fifteen!"

By the time McCoy had finally walked away he had gotten the price of the colorful plastic block down to nine credits. However, he had failed to notice that his exchange with the vendor had been watched. Now busy walking through the market and examining his prize he once again failed to notice; he was being followed. He continued to go on his way, not noticing, until something tugged his pant leg. Looking down he saw something that caused him much surprise, which he expressed less then eloquently.

"What the heck are ya doin'?"

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><p><strong>AN: I've been craving some good McCoy fluff and I couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so I decided to write it instead of waiting for someone else to. I'm also writing this as a little stress reliever so expect six chapters, one for every week of my summer course. See you next chapter. And leave a review. Please?**


	2. Hello, I've Lost My Puppy

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Trek franchise or the characters in it. I can't find my outline, so bear with me in the next couple of chapters. And perhaps leave a review?  
><strong>

_Last Chapter... _

_Now busy walking through the market and examining his prize he once again failed to notice; he was being followed. He continued to go on his way, not noticing, until something tugged his pant leg. Looking down he saw something that caused him much surprise, which he expressed less then eloquently._ **  
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><p>Planets like this one attract all different kinds of people, so I thought the person who had taken hold of my pant leg was just a weird, short alien. Just last week I had an unpleasant run-in with a deceptively small person, so I wasn't about to be had again; my pride couldn't take any more of Spock's <em>logical<em> ribbing. So I might have been a bit harsh in my reaction.

"What the heck are ya doin'?" Some people might call that harsh...

The short alien recoiled, the crown of its head barely reaching my knee. The angle between myself and it was such that I couldn't get a good look at it's face, so I couldn't tell if it was male or female. Up until it started crying. Definitely female. And young.

For some reason or other things always seem to get worse when the ladies start crying, so I bent down to see if I could get her to stop. That's when I learned how young and _human_ she was. (There'd be even more ribbing if Spock ever found out I had called one of my species' offspring weird. Darned Vulcan.)

"Shhh, I didn't mean that. It's alright, can ya stop cryin' now." People were starting to stare at the puppy-kicking child molester. Tears dripping down her cheeks from big, brown eyes, she had the kicked puppy look down pat. And that mewling sound. You know, the one a puppy or a kitten makes after it's been kicked. And, no, I don't know from experience!

Meanwhile, guess who's getting the stink-eye from all directions right about now. That's right.

I gave up trying to get her to stop crying, another thing she was really good at, and tried to find her parents in the crowd. No one stuck out as obviously related to the weeping mess in front of me and no one was coming forward to claim said mess. I turned back to my only source of information.

"Hey, shhh, it's okay. Do you know where your parents are?" Big, soulful gaze; the tears were slowing down. She shook her head and hiccuped miserably. "Can you tell me your name?" More hiccups. "Lo-hic," she rubbed her eyes dejectedly and tried again. "Lo-ie," she was careful to pronounce it.

"Okay, Lowy, let's see if we can find your parents." My stood up, wincing at my sore legs, then reached out for her hand. She bit mine instead.

"_Da_-arn it." My voice petered out and I finished lamely under the un-approving eyes of the crowd. Tired of it all, I picked up my bag of purchases in one hand, grabbed hers with my other one, and started down the street toward the paper-pushing business side of city.

I heard Lowy huff unhappily behind me and felt her attempts to pull her hand out of my grip.

"_What are they teaching kids these days? 'Stranger Danger', my sainted aunt._" I grumbled as we walked out of the market.


	3. Wet Behind the Ears

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Trek franchise or the characters in it. I can't find my outline, so bear with me in the next couple of chapters. And perhaps leave a review?**

_I picked up my bag of purchases in one hand, grabbed hers with my other one, and started down the street toward the paper-pushing business side of city. I heard Lowy huff unhappily behind me and felt her attempts to pull her hand out of my grip. "What are they teaching kids these days? 'Stranger Danger', my sainted aunt." I grumbled as we walked out of the market._ **  
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><p>I spun my chair back and forth and twiddled my thumbs idly. I've heard people say that there's nothing like a desk job. After I got this one I quickly decided I didn't want to be friends with them anymore. They still call me though.<p>

So I sat there wasting time when an upset man walked into the lobby and up to the information desk. My desk specifically. I quickly stood up (it was one of those granite mid-chest desks, don't ask me how I saw him coming sitting down). "Do you have anything for missing persons," he asked as he set a bag on the desk between us.

I took the time to look him over then, to see who I was dealing with. Middle-aged, fit, laugh wrinkles, about my height, a bag of goodies from the market, and wearing a hideous shirt that looked like some weird alien had thrown up on it, then wiped it in it's other bodily fluids. Gross imagery to be sure. It was while I was mentally recoiling from the atrocious shirt that I noticed the man's companion. Peeking out from behind the man's left leg was a small girl. Dark-haired and dark-eyed, wearing some kind of brown frock, and scowling unhappily. She only came up to about the man's knee, so I wasn't too intimidated. Read: not intimidated at _all_.

I came to the conclusion that the man was on vacation with his family and had gotten sidled with the youngest while the older children and the mother got to play. Poor sap. I had seen the same thing happen often enough in my own family, and dad always came out of it the worse for wear and temper. Taking this into account, I answered his question cautiously.

"How long has the person been missing?"

"I don't know." He frowned either at me or the inconvenience.

"How are you related to the missing person?"

"I'm not."

It was at this point that things got a little heated. "Then how do you know someone's missing?" I cast him a disbelieving look.

He met my look with a glare. "Because I have that person with me."

"Who? Her?" I jerked my chin toward the toward the unhappy imp behind him. He nodded sharply, eyes narrowing.

"Look, I'm some kind of kidnapper if you're wondering," I snorted disbelievingly, "I found her at the market. Her parents weren't around so I thought I'd help her out," he growled at me.

"Uh huh, suuuuure." He bristled and leaned over the desk about to give me my headache for today. Thankfully though, the man was interrupted before he could really light into me. The imp had pulled on his pant leg, cutting him short.

He turned away from me and bent down to her level, putting his hands awkwardly behind his back. I tried my best to look inconspicuous leaning against the counter while I listened in.

"Ga-ah go." His brow furrowed and he opened his mouth but couldn't find anything to say, confused. Understanding his problem the girl tried again. "Ga-ah gooo!" she insisted.

The man surprised me by shooting up, hands falling back to his sides. I jumped away, surprised, and banged into the cabinet to my back. He seemed to remember then that I was there; he sent me another glare and directed a question toward me. "Where's the bathroom 'round here?"

Pointing to the door at the side of the lobby, I sat back down. Three minutes later he returned from where he had left the little girl to do her business, the ladies room, blushing furiously. "I could have told you what kind of reaction you'd get," I snarked at him.

It seemed he'd had too much because my comment seemed to set him off, even more dangerously than before. "Now listen here, mister," he leaned across the desk again, getting, I felt, a little too close. "I'm only going to ask this once. Can you help me or not?" He had a deceivingly calm expression plastered over his face.

Once again in caution mode, I replied. "Unfortunately in this instance there's nothing I can do. Since you found her in the market, she's probably and off-worlder. We can only deal with residents in this office."

"Is there anyone else I can see?" He grit out the question. I didn't know if he was referring to someone else in this building or another office all-together, but I took the truthful route either way.

"Unfortunately no, there's nothing anyone can do unless her parents have notified Starfleet that she's missing and unless you can get in touch with Starfleet."

He leaned back now, seeming to have calmed down. I tried to quiet my racing heart in the hope that he wouldn't hear and take offense. "Well thanks, I guess. I'll get out of your hair now." I didn't say anything, hoping he'd leave.

He shot me another look before turning around and heading back to the bathroom. I still didn't understand why he couldn't just take her to the men's room.

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><p>I pulled nervously at my collar as I went through the door. I'd received quiet the stares coming in here last time, but thankfully it had emptied out while I was talking to that lousy receptionist. The bathroom really had emptied out, no one was there. Including Lowy. I'd never admit to it, but I panicked.<p>

"Lowy? Lowy, where are you." Recieving no answer, I shot out of the bathroom and back to the front desk. "Did you see her leave?" I questioned the receptionist.

Looking a little shaken, he replied, "No she should still be in there." I ran back to the bathroom, flinging the door open and sending it crashing into the wall. I approached the stalls as the door shut behind me.

"Lowy, you in here?" I tried to say calmly. No answer. I tried again. "Lowy, where are you." Then I heard it. Someone had sniffled. I walked to the last stall in the row. Taking a minute to compose myself, I finally asked through the stall door, "Are you okay in there." It was another couple of seconds until the next sniffle.

"I'm going to come in now, okay?" I waited. Finally I got an answer. "Kay." Slowly I opened the stall door and looked in. I was met by one of the most heart-melting sights I'd seen in weeks. She'd fallen into the toilet somehow was still stuck there.

Tears were streaming down her now red face as she visibly strained to hold the rest of herself out of the water, her hands sliding against the seat cover. She'd probably been like this for at least the last couple of minutes now.

I hurried over and knelt by the toilet as she shot me a pleading glance, sniffling. I lifted her up and out of the toilet from under her arms, then set her on the ground in front of me. She stood there for a moment, tears still falling, looking outright miserable before I gave in. I held out my arms and she collapsed in an instant. Her tears quickly soaked through my shirt, and when I wrapped my arms around her little trembling form my arms got wet too. Her whole back had gotten soaked.

We sat there like that for a while. That darned receptionist was probably wondering what was going on at this point. Lucky for me, I didn't care what he thought. Lowy settled down after another couple of minutes, hiccuping intermittently. I stood up still holding her and carried her to the sinks before setting her down on the counter.

I did my best to clean the both of us up while she sat there miserably. There's only so much you can do with paper towels however, so I ended up just wiping her face dry. I walked out of the office with a wet and still crying toddler in my arms and the eyes of the lobby on my back.

Three minutes later I ducked out of the office again, having forgotten my stupid purchases. We were once again on our unhappy way.

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><p><strong>AN: Anything I write isn't beta-ed, so if there are any points of improvement you could mention, they would be greatly appreciated. As it is_, _I'm not used to writing first person so this chapter feels especially _off_ to me. Oh, sorry I'm late with this posting; I've gotten a bigger load of homework than usual. 'Til next week then.**_  
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	4. Help Me, I'm Lost Now

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Trek franchise or the characters in it. **

***mutters to self in a dark corner, far away, while banging head against the wall and drooling* ... homework... sleep... update... Tour de France... sleep... finals... update... Pineapple! ...mmmph... update...**

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><p><em>Last Chapter...<br>_

_I walked out of the office with a wet and still crying toddler in my arms and the eyes of the lobby on my back. Three minutes later I ducked out of the office again, having forgotten my stupid purchases. _

_We were once again on our unhappy way._

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><p>I know enough about the universe to understand what had happened back in the "Sorry-We-Can't-Help-You Office".<p>

I said "Hey, get me out this mess."

They said, "So long, sucka!"

Then Lowy fell in the toilet.

That's how I ended up walking to my temporary quarters, bag of junk in one hand and an unhappy waif in my arm.

I was... I can't describe it. Just so upset, _angry_. Who the heck leaves their kid behind on some foreign planet. Vacations and "me time" aren't _that_ important.

I prowled down the street and cursed the lack or motorized vehicles in this city. People scattered. Some dumb guy stood in front of me and gaped. Lowy looked at him and started crying again, upset.

I growled at him.

He stumbled off to the side, out of my way.

_Dult._

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><p>McCoy stalked forward down the sidewalk with a predatory glint in his eye. After the small confrontation no one tried to hinder his progress, intentionally or not.<p>

He was not someone to be messed with on a good day. _Today was not a good day._

Lowy wrapped her arms around McCoy's neck and dried her face on his shoulder, exhaling slowly. A small sigh.

Suddenly through the busy street a loud noise, some huge commotion, came crashing towards them. Quite literally.

Frozen in place, McCoy starred wide eyed at the object that had come to a rest directly in front of him. "So that's why they don't use cars."

A sniffle came from the general vicinity of his neck where the little girl had planted her hot red face against his collar bone. He shifted uncomfortably against the strange feeling.

Then a woman screamed and the small moment was lost in the chaos that ensued. The driver stumbled out of the crumpled vehicle and fell against its side, head lolling and eyes unfocused.

_This man needs a doctor. Get an ambulance!-is he dead?-Give him some space people! Where's that ambulance?-is he going to be okay?-It's taking too long to get here!_

"I'm a doctor." Lowy was passed off to waiting arms. The bag was discarded carelessly on the ground. He was pushed forward towards the injured man.

To the sound of confusion and panic, people running and thronging to see what had happened, McCoy crouched next to the fallen man, fingers to his pulse. He looked up then, removing his hand and pulling out his communicator.

"McCoy to _Enterprise_. I have an injured party down here; three to beam up," he spoke coolly into the device, a forced calm.

_What just happened?_

Any response was ignored in favor of finding his charge.

_Where is she, where is she?  
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Forced calm.

He took her back from the kind stranger standing off to the side. A muttered thanks.

_Why did this happen..._?

Then they were gone.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, seriously this isn't funny anymore. I want my outline back _now_. My mind is a weird place and this fic suddenly took a much more serious turn. Although in all honesty, I've been itching to write more serious stuff anyway. Grrr. *wants to punch something for no good reason* **

**I'm going to bed now.**


	5. Haze

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Trek franchise or the characters in it. **

**From here on out, I officially throw in the towel and say, "You win, bunnies! Do what you will with me. But please, please be gentle..."**

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><p><em>Last Chapter...<em>

_"McCoy to Enterprise. I have an injured party down here; three to beam up," he spoke coolly into the device, a forced calm. Then they were gone._

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><p>Doctor, explain to me what happened-<p>

_-smoke, sparks, fire-_

down there. Can you explain it?

_-dirty ground, scraped skin, heat-_

How did you get involved in the-

_-haze, red, metallic scent-_

accident? Ignoring _that _fiasco, how-

_-panic, chaos-_

did you end up taking that girl-

_-yells, screams, crying-_

with you? Random civilians-

_-panic, loss-_

aren't just allowed-

_-crowd, loss, searching-_

onto a starship-

_-where is she-_

because you-

_-where is she?-_

feel like it!

_"Where..."_

Have you been listening at all?

_"...no."_


	6. Because Nothing Ever Goes Right

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Trek franchise or the characters in it. **

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><p><em>Last Chapter...<em>

_"... explain to me what happened down there. Can you explain it?... Have you been listening at all?"_

_"...no."  
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><p>It was illogical. I had not donned my meditation robe. The likelihood that something wrong would occur on this particular shore leave was approximately point two nine percent. For all purposes nonexistent. Yet I was not wearing my robe.<p>

I did not expect to be interrupted during my meditation. Yet when I received the call to the transporter room it was not completely unexpected.

It was illogical.

I was prepared, able to leave my quarters at twice the rate I would have obtained otherwise; I did so.

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><p>As the doors slid open his senses were assaulted, the immediate instinct to recoil harshly discounted and ignored.<p>

Into the fray. He stood next to the transporter controls, directing the flurry of hands on pained limbs and burnt flesh.

The rush of the gurney going past, heads bent over the figure laid out on it, stirred up the smell of blood and sweat. One of the heads rose minutely as blue eyes flickered up. They landed for a second on his person before flickering to a second dark head.

Then the gurney was gone. The one remaining nurse was quickly placed in charge of the small person and promptly placed on a low rung on Spock's list of priorities as he approached the control set from a different side.

The flick of a single switch opened the correct frequency. A pause.

"Captain, your presence is required immediately."

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><p>Three hours of surgery.<p>

Kirk's ruffled hair and twitching hands accompanied all too well the constant back and forth journy across the available length of sickbay.

Three hours of waiting.

His first stood stock still, eyes following his captain's circular pattern, ever at the alert should something happen.

Three hours of wondering what had gone wrong.


	7. No Signs Ahead

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Trek franchise or the characters in it.**

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><p><em>Last Chapter...<em>

_...the gurney was gone. "Captain, your presence is required immediately."_

_Three hours of surgery... Three hours of waiting... Three hours of wondering what had gone wrong._

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><p>"Okay. Just... give me the facts." Kirk moved back and forth, pacing.<p>

Spock remained motionless and silent.

Kirk came to halt in front of his first officer and gave him a wide-eyed look, waiting for a response.

Spock spoke slowly as if the words were being forced from a stone statue. "There are very few facts to consider."

His legs jerking momentarily, feet moving too far forward too quickly to make it look graceful, Kirk resumed pacing.

An order. "Give me the facts we have."

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><p><em>...a woman screaming<em>

the driver, seriously injured

_head lolling..._

_...eyes unfocused._

the injured party

"..._three_ to beam up."

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><p>"That's all we have?" Surprise.<p>

"At least until the Doctor is done in the surgery."

"What about the kid? Could she answer any questions?"

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><p><em>...forced calm<em>

_where is she_

_searching_

_there!_

_blinking, smoke_

_static, haze..._

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><p>"Unknown. I suggest we wait until the Doctor-"<p>

"McCoy, Spock."

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><p><em>sick smell<em>

_rushing, instructions_

_yelling_

_...where?_

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><p>Another silent moment. "Until McCoy can answer our questions."<p>

Eyes closed, Kirk sighed into his hand.

And McCoy walked into the room.


End file.
